Obesity Timebomb Ticking

Obesity Timebomb Not Being Taken Seriously Enough – Noone

Following publication of the authoritative Lancet analysis of obesity levels globally where Ireland was shown to be fifth in Europe for obesity among young women and girls, Senator Catherine Noone today said that “we need to work to get this problem under control. Some outlets are reporting that Ireland’s rate of obesity has yet to reach the levels found in many neighbouring countries, but I believe this is the wrong way of looking at it: this is a problem for all nations, but we need to focus on our own problem with obesity instead of just comparing ourselves to others and trying to find positives”.

Senator Noone continued: “The fact that 22.9% of men and 22.5% of women are obese poses a great many challenges for our healthcare systems in the future. We need to really begin emphasising how diet and exercise can help prevent problems down the road for both the individual and the healthcare system. In this sense, we need City Councils to place a serious emphasis on leisure and sport facilities”.

Senator Noone added: “I am personally disappointed that after three budgets we have failed to implement a meaningful fat tax, a meaningful sugar tax or any meaningful set of incentives which will work to discourage people from making bad dietary choices”.

Senator Noone concluded: “From a global perspective, there are over 2 billion people affected by being either obese or overweight, which poses a great many issues for healthcare in the future in many countries, both developed and developing”.